Arthashastra 3.16.29: Dharmasthiya, Adhyaya 16, Sutra 29

Devanagari script

स्वस्वामिसम्बन्धस्तु भोगानुवृत्तिरुच्छिन्नदेशानां यथास्वं द्रव्याणाम् ॥

Recitation with translationArthashastra 3.16.29

Transliteration

svasvāmisambandhastu bhogānuvṛttirucchinnadeśānāṃ yathāsvaṃ dravyāṇām

Translation

अगर कोई चीज़ तुम्हारी है और तुम उसे करते भी रहे, तो वो तुम्हारा माना जायेगा। लेकिन जहाँ रिकॉर्ड टूट गया हो या पता नहीं रहा, वहाँ जो उसका असली मालिक है, उसके हिसाब से फैसला होगा।

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Word by Word

• स्वस्वामि-सम्बन्धः: the relation of (a thing) to its own owner; ownership/title relation
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + बन्ध्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; समासः—स्वस्य स्वामिनः सम्बन्धः (genitive relation)

• तु: but; indeed
• Type: Particle
• Root: तु
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषणार्थे (contrast/emphasis)

• भोग-अनुवृत्तिः: continuance of enjoyment/possession
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत् (अनु + वृत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; भोगस्य अनुवृत्तिः = भोग-परम्परा/continuance of enjoyment

• उच्छिन्न-देशानाम्: of those whose place/region is cut off/unknown (untraceable persons)
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: छिद् (उद् + छिद्)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी-बहुवचन; उच्छिन्नः देशः येषां ते (whose locality/region is cut off/unknown)

• यथा-स्वम्: according to each one’s own (right/claim)
• Type: Adverb
• Root: यथा + स्व
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (adverbial usage): यथास्वम् = स्वस्व-क्रमेण/स्वस्व-भागेन

• द्रव्याणाम्: of properties/assets
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-बहुवचन

Entities Mentioned

• owners/claimants
• disrupted territories (ucchinna-deśa)

More Details

FAQs

What counts as practical proof of ownership when records are disrupted?

Continuity of possession/enjoyment (bhogānuvṛtti) serves as a key evidentiary basis to reconnect property with its owner.